


Letters From Abbenay

by sevenall (orphan_account)



Category: The Dispossessed - Ursula K. Le Guin
Genre: Epistolary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 02:07:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12760914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/sevenall
Summary: "She only knows denial. How to deny the possibility of coming home." -The Dispossessedby Ursula K. LeGuin





	Letters From Abbenay

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elizabeth Culmer (edenfalling)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/edenfalling/gifts).



\-- 

The trip wasn't bad. The dirigible had to make an overnight stop just before Ne Theras, so it took four days instead of three. No matter. I enjoyed flying through the mountains in daylight and of course I wanted to see as much of the Port as I could. There was no earthquake damage visible from altitude, but since most of it was structural, I didn't really expect to see any.

I had a whole stack of reports waiting for me already at DivLab and yet more at the Institute. They seem to be largely descriptive with little actual data, which rather vexes me. The Press Syndicate might be interested in eye-witness reports from non-engineers, but I'm not. To be fair, I haven't read them all yet and, as you are so fond of reminding me, it's important to be fair.

For now, I share a room with a person called Assar at the domicile at Depot Street. There were none available at the Institute dorms; the registrar will let me know when there is an opening. Assar works nights most of the time, so we don't see much of each other. They prefer the room to be tidy and I shall do my best to keep up with them.

It's been a long day and I want to eat before the Institute refectory closes, only one more thing: you can return the winter boots to the Central Clothing Repository. This posting, for all that they call it an emergency posting, is likely to last longer than six months and I can pick up another pair here. Or you can ask Pipar if they would like them. They have small feet, same as I do, and may need something sturdy for when they go on site surveys.

Ru 

\-- 

So much work! Some of it has been done already, some remains. I leave up to you to imagine which part is the largest; as for which is the most troublesome, I'm not sure myself. After a first assessment of the damage reports, it's clear that we don't have enough data. The space craft impacts and stresses in the Port area aren't comparable to any other site on Anarres. The Institute is going to send another team of geologists and engineers for data collection; I hope to go myself. But there are too few engineers, as is always the case, and everyone is exhausted. So far, there have been four aftershocks and the Engineering Federative has to do full safety inspections after each one. I wish you had come back with me. There is engineering work here, just not a regular posting. I keep asking for you at DivLab. 

There hasn't been much time to catch up with friends and many have been posted away from Abbenay in the meantime. You may be interested to know of the changes in the Physics Department. The Cyclical theory is out and the Sequential is in. Sabul, if you remember them, is at the head of the Sequentials. I always thought they were more suited for the applied sciences, but the books and papers they have published are apparently brilliant. The talk is that Sabul will be the one to solve To's Temporal Paradox. As a mere engineer, I'm more than happy to leave it to him and him to it and may they have the long joy of each other. 

The other day, a person in the Federative spoke to me about the necklace I was wearing, the one with green glass and ceramics beads. They were quite nice about it and really, I should have remembered that a pin or a ring is the limit of good taste here. I took the necklace off at once, of course. If Assar doesn't object, I'll hang it over my bed instead and I can still enjoy it. 

Ru 

\-- 

I have sent you three letters and you not one, this isn't very egalitarian of you. They must be working you very hard. I told them before I left that one engineer cannot be expected to do the work of two, I hope you keep telling them. If it helps, I could finish the risk analysis for the new learning center, I was almost done with it anyway.

Workwise, we're finally making some progress. The Federative agrees that we cannot build in the same place with the same materials and design and expect a different outcome in the next earthquake. Since the location cannot be changed, we must focus on the other two parameters. Design is critical, but I'm also thinking that new materials could make some new design features possible. There are some experimental data on mortars that looks very promising. Do you think you could send the notes from that seminar we had on clays last year ? 

I would like to compare them with the paper Gvarab is writing on periodicity. I can see that it simplifies the Euclidean lattice space concept, but I don't know why it does, not yet. The lack of applicability and immediate usefulness of the Frequency and Cycle theories has always bothered me, more than it has you, I think. Some days I'm so frustrated with what they call proofs that I could scream. Sabul calls it mystical gagaism and doesn't care who hears it. 

There's still so much do to here. The reconstruction of the Port is expanding into other fields, especially materials sciences. The work on alloys, ceramics and composites that I did in Abbenay before Wide Plains is turning out to be very relevant. And everyone is right here to work with us, chemists and metallurgists, even an expert on polymers and another one on holum fibers. Once we open the Port again, we will request some new petroleum-based materials from you know where. 

In other news, I've finally moved into the Institute domicile. It's much closer to the labs and I think Assar was starting to be annoyed with me. They thought I brought home too many books, creating dust and clutter, and I daresay they were right.

Write me when you have a moment, brother, and tell me about yourself and Shev. 

Ru 

\-- 

Written in a hurry, since I'm being sent to the coast for a decade. There's a tidal turbine project close to launch in Malennin, but the composite coating on the blades isn't working out and by not working out, I mean that it detaches after contact with salt water. As a tidal turbine would normally be immersed in the sea, this is a rather significant issue. The team has tried different paints, but there was interference with the mating cycle of an essential clam species, so that was that. I cannot think of a solution now and I'm sure I won't be able to think at all once I arrive. Everything there is slimy and smells fishy and let's not even talk about how the sand gets everywhere. 

Ru 

\--

It's been a long time, brother. I got sick at the coast, but I'm better now. You really don't need to worry. I wear the scarf I use. Everything will be fine. I hope you and Shev are well.

\-- 

I went to pick up the mail and there were the seminar notes, but no letter. Maybe it was lost in the mail, but I have to ask you, are you angry with me? As you know, I don't always understand when you are. I'm sorry if it was something I wrote. Please write to me and tell me. Perhaps I imagine things, but I was so sick and I missed you so much.

All, Ru 

\-- 

~~Brother, you can eat excrement and die.~~

\-- 

~~If you wanted to copulate so badly~~

\-- 

~~If you wanted to break off the partnership you only had to say so~~

\-- 

Brother, I had a letter from Pipar. It seems she liked the boots very much.

Your sister, Rulag.

\-- 

Brother, 

while the last letter to you was unkind, of course it isn't the copulating I mind. Or Pipar for that matter. I've always liked her; she is a natural mathematician.

I do mind that you put Shev into the nursery full-time as soon as I left. I thought we agreed that individual contact was essential during the first years. A child needs an affectional beginning to develop full socialization. 

And I'm not sure what you want to do about the partnership. I would be willing to continue it, though we might need to renegotiate certain aspects. I did tell you from the start that I wasn't especially interested in copulation. You should have told me how important it was to you. 

So yes, perhaps I do mind the copulation a little. I'm too propertarian not to. But what I need to know is if there is anything left of us in Wide Plains where you are or in Abbenay where I am.

Your sister, Rulag. 

\-- 

Dear brother, 

thank you for your concise explanation. 

You are very right that I was the one who left. Neither would I dispute that out of the two of us, you are the more parental person. 

Clearly, the Abbenay posting meant different things to you and me. I understand that, now. I'm sorry for any pain you may have felt.

To avoid further misunderstandings, no, I don't expect I'll come back to Wide Plains. If you would write sometimes and tell me how Shevek is doing, it would be greatly appreciated.

Should Shevek at some point wish to visit or study in Abbenay, I would of course be pleased to show him around. 

Your sister, Rulag.

\--

FIN


End file.
